Electric parking meter



Jan. 6, 1942. N. A. WHITTAKER ELECTRIC PARKING METER Filed Dec. 9, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 nnentor vorlnan H Whittaker ttorneg Patented Jan. 6, 1942 Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC PARKING METER. Norman A. Whittaker, Seattle, Wash. Application December 9, 1940, Serial No. 389,223

1 Claim.

My invention relates to electric parking meters, and more specificallyto a device electrically operable by one coin, or by several coins deposited successively, for determining periods of time that motor vehicles are parked along city streets.

Certain objects of the invention are to provide a parking meter of comparatively simple, durable and inexpensive construction, consisting of positive means for indicating the parking time, means for indicating additional parking time, and means for ensuring certainty of electrical operation.

Further objects are to provide means whereby the coins themselves serve as conductors of current in a multiple wiring system for closing circuits by their contact and weight, and also to provide adjustable counter-weight switch means whereby the device is adjustably adapted to be operated by coins of different sizes.

Still further objects are to provide means whereby the coins are slowly brushed along a flexible switch arm under slight pressure so that the wiping or slight abrasion serves to keep the contacting of the switches clean and free from dust or corrosion.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the parking meter;

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section taken substantially on a broken line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of the interior mechanism of the device;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a plan view in detail of the main counterbalanced switch arm; and

Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram.

Referring now in detail to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate like parts in the several views, the numeral 5 indicates a base pedestal upon which'is superimposed an upstanding hollow standard 6. A coin receptacle 1 is fixed to the top of said standard. and a mechanism housing 8 is fixed to the top of the coin receptacle. The bottom of the housing projects outwardly from the coin receptacle and serves as a roof for protecting an electric lamp 9 which is fixed thereto as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. A coin slot [0 is fixed to the upper exterior portion of the housing 8.

' An insulator plate ll, preferably made of glass or other transparent non-conducting material, is fixed to an inside wall of the housing 8 by means of screws 12, and covers the greater portion of said wall. These screws also serve to secure a coin chute, consisting of an inner rail I3 and an outer rail II, to the insulator plate H in spaced apart insulated relation. This chute is in vertical communication with the coin slot l0, as indicated in Fig. 1, and its inner and outer rails are made of metal and provided with double spaced apart flanges, as most clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, for the purpose of ensuring contact with coins as more fully hereinafter set forth.

The flanges of the outer rail it are extended inward at their lower ends, shown at l5, for the purpose of directing coins inwardly while retaining contact therewith. A relatively large disc I6 is fixed to a shaft l1 and its periphery is provided with a plurality of spaced apart pocket slots l8 which are arranged to receive and carry coins from the chute. The shaft H extends to a motor l9 which may be fixed to and in spaced relation with the insulator plate II by screw bolts 20, and the motor is provided with the usual positive pole 2| and negative pole 22. The motor is conventionally shown in diagrammatic form, and no detail description is deemed necessary except to say that it is preferably of the synchronous type and adapted to rotate at one revolution per hour. A main flexible or resilient switch arm 23 is pivotally connected at 2 to the insulator plate ll, directly below the disc 16, and its proximate reduced end is threadedly adapted to receive a counter-weight 25. A slot 28 extends through this switch-arm for the passage of coins. The remote end of the switch-arm 23 is disposed directly below the coin chute so that it is engaged by coins dropping therefrom, and is also arranged to engage a contact finger 21 which is connected to the insulator plate H by a post 28. Another contact finger 29 is connected to the insulator plate at 3B and is also arranged to be engaged by a portion of the main resilient switch arm 23.

In the wiring of the device, a positive lead-in wire 3| is grounded to the inner chute rail, ii at 32 and continues around to a connection with the pivot post 24 of the switch arm 23. A secondary positive wire 33 is grounded at 34 to the outer rail Id of the coin chute and extends around to a connection with the positive pole 2| of the motor 19. A shunt wire 35 connects the post 28 of the contact finger 21 to the secondary wire 33, and another shunt wire 36 connects the other post 30 of the contact finger 23 to the secondary wire 33. A negative return wire 31 carries the current/outward from the negative pole 22 of the motor, and a shunt wire 38, which is connected to this wire 31. extends to the negative pole of the lamp 3, while another shunt wire 39 extends from the positive pole of said lamp to a connection with the positive pole 2| of the motor Hi.

In the operation of the device, assuming for example that a coin such as a penny is deposited into the slot 10, this coin, immediately upon contacting the fianges of both the inner and outer rails 43 and M respectively of the coin chute, 

